SHARK VS SHARK

Goblin sharkvsWhite shark

Length, weight and bite evidence—plus context from a human, city bus and blue whale. Every number below carries its uncertainty with it.

LivingMitsukurina owstoni×LivingCarcharodon carcharias
QUICK VERDICT

Goblin shark is about 1.03× longer by these reference values.

These animals are effectively close in maximum-length terms, so measurement uncertainty can matter more than the apparent difference. White shark's weight reference is about 11× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AGoblin sharkphoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ft
BWhite sharkabout 6 m / 20 ft
REFAdult human1.8 m · about 80 kg

Length bars use upper comparison values and do not show body depth, tail proportion or typical adult size. A long thresher tail, for example, does not equal whale-shark body mass.

02

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureGoblin sharkWhite shark
Length referencephoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ftabout 6 m / 20 ft
Weight referencelarge specimen reported near 210 kg / 463 lbreported to about 2,268 kg / 5,000 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownabout 18,000 NModeled
HabitatDeep continental slopes worldwideTemperate seas worldwide
DietFishes, squid and crustaceansFish, rays and marine mammals
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Goblin shark is represented by photo-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ft; White shark by about 6 m / 20 ft. The longest figures come from regression estimates based on photographs. Maximum length and mass are exceptional upper-end figures.

Bite evidence

Goblin shark: Jaw speed and protrusion are not the same measurement as bite force. White shark: A 3-D finite-element model predicted the bite of a very large individual; it was not measured on a living shark.

Living versus extinct

Both species are living, but record-sized individuals are rare. These upper references should not be read as normal adult size.

Ecology changes the matchup

Its jaws shoot forward rapidly; maximum body size remains uncertain. Its headline bite number is a computer model, not a live-animal measurement.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Goblin sharkFlorida MuseumWhite sharkWroe et al. (2008) + Florida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →